ST. GEORGE’S, GRENADA– The Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Finance have collaborated in facilitating a budget consultative session to garner pertinent contributions for inclusion in the 2023 national budget.
This session, which targeted agriculture and fisheries stakeholders, was held at the Deluxe Cinema, Grenville, St. Andrew, on Wednesday, September 21.
The session was attended by the Substantive Minister for Agriculture, Hon. Lennox Andrews, who also serves as Minister for Economic Development. It was sectioned off into four groups as a means of getting the best out of every subsector.
Farmers, beekeepers, and floriculturist formed one group, poultry, livestock and butchers formed a second group, fisherfolk, long liners, and sea moss producers were in the third group, while agro-processors were the fourth.
The objective was to gather transformative ideas that can be incorporated into the budget to address pressing issues affecting different sectors.
Minister Lennox Andrews underscored the importance of formulating ideas to increase Agriculture’s contribution to the Gross Domestic Product.
He said agriculture is a risky investment, and the plans developed must ensure that its contribution to the GDP increases.
He said, “ While you go thinking in your discussion about those needs and constraints affecting growth and development in the agriculture sector, we also want you to think of areas where the government can collect some money. It is important to have the money to spend back in the economy, in the agricultural sector, to facilitate that additional growth, income, employment for that sector.”
Also attending the session was Agriculture and Fisheries Representative in the Senate, Roderick St. Clair. St. Clair spoke of the importance of the activity not only to agriculture and fisheries but also to the nation.
He suggested that food security is a big issue and the ideas garnered from the session finding ways to combat the problem of food security and high food prices.
Recommendations for the 2022 budget included compensation for victims of praedial larceny, training in critical farming techniques, a designated desk or office for agro-processors, quality assurance in the fishing sector, and measures to increase consumption of local livestock products.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Aaron Francois, said while all the suggestions will not be included in the upcoming budget, government is committed to making a difference within the agricultural and fisheries sector through collaboration.
He said, “A lot of the issues are not new; from government side, we have our role in helping with the enabling environment and the support in building the productive sector, but you too as entrepreneurs, as custodian of the resources, you have your responsibility also. So, let’s work together.”
